This invention relates to a process for using microporous solid catalysts to convert oxygenates into hydrocarbons and, more particularly, relates to a process for converting alcohols into light olefins using ECR-1, mazmorite, or ECR-18 catalysts.
Light olefins have traditionally been produced through the process of steam or catalytic cracking. Because of the limited availability and high cost of petroleum sources, the cost of producing light olefins from such petroleum sources has been steadily increasing. Many raise the dire prediction of significant oil shortages in the not-too-distant future. Curtailment in the availability of inexpensive petroleum raw materials threatens the supply of light olefins. Light olefins serve as feeds for the production of numerous chemicals.
The search for alternative materials for light olefin production has led to the use of oxygenates such as alcohols, and more particularly to methanol, ethanol, and higher alcohols or their derivatives. These alcohols may be produced by fermentation or from synthesis gas. Synthesis gas can be produced from natural gas, petroleum liquids, carbonaceous materials, including coal, recycled plastics, municipal wastes, or any organic material. Thus, alcohol and alcohol derivatives may provide non-petroleum based routes for the production of olefin and other related hydrocarbons.
Molecular sieves such as the microporous crystalline zeolite catalysts are known to promote the conversion of oxygenates to hydrocarbon mixtures. Numerous patents describe this process for various types of zeolite catalysts: U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,928,483, 4,025,575, 4,252,479 (Chang et al.); 4,496,786 (Santilli et al.); 4,547,616 (Avidan et al.); 4,677,243 (Kaiser); 4,843,183 (Inui); 4,499,314 (Seddon et al.); and 4,447,669 (Harmon et al.). However, none of these patents teach the conversion of oxygenates to hydrocarbons using the type of zeolite catalysts described herein.
These and other disadvantages of the prior art are overcome by the present invention, however, and a new improved process for conversion of oxygenates to hydrocarbons using synthetic zeolites such as ECR-1, mazmorites, and paulingite-type (such as ECR-18) zeolite catalysts is provided.